Hourly rate for freelance design in London

Morning guys,

I have been approached by an old client to go and work for them, 6 month contract to complete a total re-brand from vehicle livery, packaging and signage thru to product brochures, the lot.
This is something i am going to do, as the experience is invaluable and will help my cv.

The problem i have is that i received a email this morning, asking how much i want to get paid?

As a designer not long out of education i have been offering my services, sometimes for free or on reduced rate to gain more experience and to build up a portfolio.

So, i would like to know what fellow designers in and around London would charge per hour, as this contract would effectively rule me out from any other freelance work for the 6 months.

Any advice appreciated,
 
How much do you need to earn to get by in life (ie; gas, electric, beer, pot noodles)? What about transport to and from their offices? when you've got a number, double it (the tax man will want paying too) and that's your monthly fee.

I know a number of people who charge £35 per hour but when working exclusively over an extended period (ie 2,3,4 weeks) offer a slightly reduced rate which works out closer to £25-30p/h.
 
I would have thought that BigDave's way of working out your hourly rate would be fine. Just because it's a six moth contract don't make the mistake of coming down too much on your reduced rate. What does an employed designer in London get nowadays? You have to work for that plus Employers NI etc (that you are saving them) + your travel and expenses.
 
I would have thought that BigDave's way of working out your hourly rate would be fine. Just because it's a six moth contract don't make the mistake of coming down too much on your reduced rate. What does an employed designer in London get nowadays? You have to work for that plus Employers NI etc (that you are saving them) + your travel and expenses.

Don't know if this helps but I was an employed designer for a London-based company and, when I went independent, I was advised that my new daily rate should be approximately two-thirds to three-quarters of the 'charge out' rate applied by my former employer (i.e. what they charged clients for my services rather than what they paid me as an employee): the employer rate was broadly based on 2x my actual salary in order to meet the full cost of employing me. I still do regular work for the same company but the removal of their overheads means that they get me a third cheaper than before but I still make c.50 percent per day on top of my old hourly rate.

Anyone follow that?
 
Back
Top